Sam Allardyce's teams purport a type of football that may not be as pleasing to the eye as that of Barcelona or Arsenal, but it has consistently proven successful, and for the fans of his teams, that's by far the most important thing (how many Arsenal fans wouldn't sacrifice a bit of their trademark passing game in exchange for bringing the title to the Emirates?).

I'm guessing the swift departure of Chelsea's manager Andre Villas-Boas produced a wry smile in a few corporate boardrooms. Why? By no means all CEOs have Abramovich-like owners hovering over their every decision, but the need to deliver instant results is a pain they do share.